At this point, you have probably been observed by both your URI instructors and your CTs. Take a few minutes to reflect on the feedback you've received. What have been your strengths and what challenges in your teaching will you need to address during the second half of your student teaching?
I think my strenght has been the fact that I generally get a long well with my students and they've been pretty receptive to my teaching. They generally cooperate with me quite nicely. Also, I've tried to plan activities in which they can interact within a group. This usually goes well because they really like to socialize. Students in each of the three different classes have told me that they like "these little activities" I plan for them.
I have several challanges that I've encountered and that I need to work on. First, I need to plan much,much better and be much more organized. Also, I need to create more unity in what I'm trying to teach to them. I feel that in our current unit, I covered topics in a "choppy" way. If I would do this unit again, I would build it up from the very simplest concept and finish it with an end-of -the unit project. Currently, I just sort of covered the chapter and gave them an end-of-the chapter test. I don't think this was the best way I could have done this.
Also, another challenge is classroom management. I should have explained my rules right in the beginning and then I should have enforced them continually in the past six weeks. I thought that if I'm nice and respectful towards them, they would reciprocate it. Unfortunately, it's definitely not the case with everyone (certain students really do need rules and consequences). So for future reference, I will make sure to explain my rules and expectations very clearly and then follow through with the consequences.
I think my strenght has been the fact that I generally get a long well with my students and they've been pretty receptive to my teaching. They generally cooperate with me quite nicely. Also, I've tried to plan activities in which they can interact within a group. This usually goes well because they really like to socialize. Students in each of the three different classes have told me that they like "these little activities" I plan for them.
I have several challanges that I've encountered and that I need to work on. First, I need to plan much,much better and be much more organized. Also, I need to create more unity in what I'm trying to teach to them. I feel that in our current unit, I covered topics in a "choppy" way. If I would do this unit again, I would build it up from the very simplest concept and finish it with an end-of -the unit project. Currently, I just sort of covered the chapter and gave them an end-of-the chapter test. I don't think this was the best way I could have done this.
Also, another challenge is classroom management. I should have explained my rules right in the beginning and then I should have enforced them continually in the past six weeks. I thought that if I'm nice and respectful towards them, they would reciprocate it. Unfortunately, it's definitely not the case with everyone (certain students really do need rules and consequences). So for future reference, I will make sure to explain my rules and expectations very clearly and then follow through with the consequences.